Cable carrier



(Application filed Aug. 20, 1896. Ranewed July 12, 1898.)

' s Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 608,954. Patented Aug. 9, I898. .1. T. cowuzv.

CABLE CARRIER.

(Ayplication filed Aug. 20, 1896. Renewed July 12, 1898.) (No Model.)

3 Sheets- Sheet 2.

Patented Aug. 9, I898.

3 Sheena-Sheet 3.

J. T. COWLEY.

CABLE CARRIER.

(Application filed Aug. 20, 1896. Renewed July 12, 1898.)

(No Model.)

m: uonms pmns co. momumb" WASMNGTUN. n. c.

DNrrEn STATES PATENT EErcE.

JAMES T. COWLEY, 0 LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSoNoo soLmATED STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OF NEWARK,

NEWV JERSEY.

CABLE CARRIER.

srncrrroArron r rmm part or Letters Patent No. 608,954, dated August 9, 1898. Application filed August 20, 1896. Renewed July 12,1898. Serial No. 686,768. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, J AMEST. COWLEY, of Lowell, county of Middlesek, and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cable Carriers, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. My invention relates to improvements in cable carriers; and it has for its object to provide means at each station for removing the last carrier arriving at the station without removing the other carriers that may be in said station. This and other objects are carried out by the apparatus hereinafter described.

My invention consists of certain novel fea- Q pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a construction embodying my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the stations of a cable carrier apparatus and represents the last station on the line. Fig. 2 is an'end view of the station, taken in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail View of the lower portion of the bracket shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail side view, partly in section, of the bracket and other cooperating parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged tures hereinafter described, and particularly detail view, the same as Fig. 4., but showing the carrler being removed. Fig. 6 is a top I plan view of one of the carriers. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the bottomof the same. Fig. 8 is an end view of the carrier, showing the cable-gripping mechanism. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the carrier, showing the gripping mechanism in engagement with the prope1ling-cab1e. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of one of the rollers on the carrier and described hereinafter. Fig. 11 is a perspective view looking from below and illustrating the position of a carrier passing from the main track onto the branch track.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to Fig. 1, in which there is illustrated the last station on the line of a cable carrier apparatus,the track A,composed of the rails A, represents theforwarding-track.

A represents an opening formed by bending the forwarding-rails A to permit the carrier D being placed upon the track A to engage with the propelling-cable O and to be forwarded along the track A. i 13 represents the return-track, composed of the opposite rails B, on which the carriers are returned to their respective stations along the line. The rails A of the forwarding-track andthe rails B of thereturn-track are secured to andsupported by the brackets E and E at E These rails are curved are secured to the bracket E at E B is a short section of track located at eachand arranged to form a continuation of the branch track B These rails 13 are sup ported at E? on the bracket E at one end, and

the opposite ends are secured to the brack ets G at G. Thebrackets E and E are suspended by the wires E.

D represents one of the carriers and is f ully illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive, in which D represents the cover, held in a closed position by a suitable spring-catch, which is adapted to be operated by a push-button to release the cover D, and the springlD will throw up the coverand open the interior of the carrier.

D represents suitable guides by whichthe carriers are switched at their respective stations. As shown, these guides are arranged to enter the last station on the line, and by locating these guides in a different position on the cover D of thecarrier D the carrier can be :made to switchat any desired station by arranging the switches at said station to correspond with the location of the guides D on the carrier D. I

D represents a lever providedwith a pin D upon which the gripping-jaws D are piv-' .otally mounted, and said lever is journaled in suitable'lugs on the rear} side of the carrier. These jaws are each provided with a cam-slot D which works upon the stud D secured to the end of the carrier, and the cam-slots D are of such form that the jaws will be open as the lever D is lowered in polines.

sition to engage with the propelling-cable C, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 9. When the lever D is released, the spring D located at the back of the carrier and around the lever D will operate to raise the lever D and close the jaws D upon the propelling-cable O, as shown in Fig. 9.

D is a plate secured to the bottom of the carrier by the screws D This plate is provided with ears D which are adapted to pass under the rails A of the track A and hold the carrier thereon.

D represent friction-rollers mounted upon the screws D and free to revolve thereon. the friction caused by the carrier traveling along the track and passing around the corners and into the stations. Over each of these rollers D and the plate D is placed a flat spring D slightly curved, as shown in Fig. 10. The object of these springs is to prevent the rollers D from rattling, due to wear and other causes, as the carrier travels along the track.

The carrier D belonging to the last station,

as shown in Fig. 1, having been placed upon the forwarding-track A at the opening A and the lever D having been depressed by the operator, the lower ends of the jaws D will engage with the propelling-cable O and be carried to the cashier and will be returned by him over the return-track B. As the carrier approaches the station to which it belongs it will be guided and steadied by the guides E secured on the bracket E, and passing said guides the guide-pins D on the carrierD will pass along the slat F on the station and engage with the switch-slat F when the carrier will be moved away from the return-track B and onto the branch track B and on passing onto said branch track the lever D of the carrier D will pass under the disengaging cam F secured to the lug F on the bracket F (see Fig. 11) and will be depressed and disengage the carrier from the propelling-cable O, which will return to its normal position between the rails 13 B of the track B, as indicated in Fig. 11 in dotted The carrier being thus disengaged will travel by its momentum around the curved portion of the track B and onto the track-section B The slats F and F are supported at one end upon the bracket E by the pin F located in the groove F of the lug F, and said pin F passes through holes in the ends of the slats F" and F which are located in the vertical slots F The opposite ends of these slats and the lower switch-slat F are supported in a similar manner in the bracket F, In the lower portion of this bracket F the rods B and B are secured at F and F respectively. E represents a bracket for assisting in supporting the rails A A of the forwarding-track A.

Usually at each station there are three or four carriers by which cash is forwarded by The object of these rollers is to reduce the salesman to the cashier, and after the change is made the carrier is returned by the cashier to the salesman and, being switched onto the branch track, comes in rear of the carriers which, unless the day is a very busy one, have not been used. Now in order to obtain this last carrier and return the change to the purchaser the operator takes hold of the carrier and by pulling down on the same, the pins G and G working in the slots G and G respectively, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) in the bracket E, one end of the track-section B will be pulled down against the tension of the spring G one end of which is attached to the pin G and the opposite end of said spring G is secured to the bracket E at G8 and assumes the position shown in full lines, Fig. 5, when the carrier may be moved off from the end of the track-section B, the guides D on the carrier passing below the rails B as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. After the carrier is removed the spring G will act to return the end of the track-section B to its normal position in alinement with the branch track B in position to receive the carriers which may be switched.

From the above it is clear that the desired carrier can be removed by the salesman without disturbing the other carriers, whereas in the old apparatuses previously used it was necessary to slide off all of the carriers in front of the desired carrier in order to remove it.

I do not limit myself to the arrangement and construction shown, as the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus ascertained the nature of my invention and set forth a construction embodying the same, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a cable carrier, a forwarding-track, a return-track, a branch track adapted to receive carriers switched from the return-track, and a track-section normally in alinement with said branch track and adapted to receive the diverted carriers and having its end nearest the branch track adapted to be moved from said alinement to permit the removal of carriers therefrom.

2. In a cable carrier, a forwarding-track, a return-track, a branch track adapted to recei ve carriers switched from the return-track, a track-section normally in alinement with said branch track and adapted to receive the diverted carriers and having its end nearest the branch track adapted to be moved from said alinement to permit the removal of carriers therefrom, and means for returning said track-section to its normal position.

3. In a cable carrier, a forwarding-track, a return-track, a branch track adapted to receive carriers switched from the return-track, a track-section normally in alinement with said branch track and adapted to receive the diverted carriers and having its end nearest the branch track adapted to be moved from said alinernent to permit the removal of carsaid track and provided with a plate secured to the bottom of the carrier for holding said carrier on said track, rollers locatedbetwcen the bottom of the carrier and the said plate to bear against said rails in the travel of the carrier, and a spring bearing on said rollers for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 1st day of August, 1896.

JAMES T. COWLEY.

Witnesses:

E. L. FOX, A. L. MESSER. 

